Hector explained that the first one had hit just a couple of hours prior. “We’ve had a few aftershocks but nothing as big as the first one. Haven’t you heard the news? It was a 5.3 on the Richter scale.”

That was a good one, and he remembered several things, photos and books, that must’ve fallen over. It’d never even occurred to him that it might’ve been an earthquake that knocked them over. He’d just thought maybe his cleaning lady had knocked some things over and forgotten to pick them up.

Felix got the rest of the scoop on the earthquake. Hector told him Noah had already checked on the late crew at 5th Street and there had been no major damage other than a few small things falling off shelves and walls.

He called his mom first thing when he got off with Hector. He hadn’t even noticed the two missed calls he had from her until she mentioned it. She and his sister had been rattled, but there’d been no major damage at their place either. He tried Ella again, and again it rang until it went to voicemail. She wasn’t going to be taking his calls tonight, and he couldn’t blame her.

Once home, he noticed a few more things that had obviously shifted out of place. Apparently, he’d been so consumed with thoughts of Ella and what she might be thinking of his place earlier he’d missed quite a few things actually. Then he walked to the mantel and picked up the photos Ella had been looking at. Ella had shared some pretty deep shit with him about her past. But this was different than just deep.

Aside from the pain, Felix was still dealing with abysmal guilt. He knew he’d never shake it and that was why he didn’t like to even talk about this. That he would eventually have to tell Ella about it was inevitable, but tonight he’d just snapped when he’d seen her holding the photo.

His phone buzzed on the mantel where he’d set it down and he glanced at it. The second he saw it was a text from Ella he immediately set the photo down and picked up his phone.

I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t answering your calls because I’m upset. I just can’t talk right now. I’ll explain later, but I want you to know I understand why you’d be mad at me. I’m sorry I intruded on something obviously so very private to you. Again. I’m SO sorry. =(

Tempted to hit call instead of texting back, he decided he’d already been inconsiderate enough tonight. She’d just told him she couldn’t talk. But it pissed him off that she was still apologizing to him when it should be the other way around.

Ella, don’t worry about it and PLEASE stop apologizing. There’s no need to. I overreacted and I’m really feeling like an asshole right now. I wish I could talk to you so I can tell you just how sorry I am. Why can’t you talk? Is everything okay?

Thought of the earthquake immediately worried him. He waited anxiously for her to respond. She didn’t immediately, and he was already upstairs in his bedroom when he finally got her response. The first two sentences alone nearly stopped his heart.

The earthquake. I’m at the hospital. My dad was injured but nothing too serious. It was just a little scary. They’ll be releasing him soon, but the house is a mess now. We’ll be busy cleaning things up for a few hours. And don’t you dare apologize. I’ll call you tomorrow.

He hadn’t even finished reading it when he was already headed out of his bedroom. He texted her back quickly asking for her address because he wanted to help out. Hector had said the earthquake was pretty bad. Felix didn’t know yet where the epicenter was, but if her father had been injured, he assumed it was closer to her place.

Again she didn’t respond immediately, so when he got in his car he waited. When more than ten minutes went by with still no response, he sent her another text with a question mark. This time she was quicker to respond.

Thank you but we got this. My brother is already at the house with a few of his friends cleaning up. There’s no need for you to come down. My phone is dying and we’re still here at the hospital. So I’m gonna shut it down. We’ll talk tomorrow.

He banged down on the center divider with a groan, turning off his car. At least she didn’t seem too upset with his stupid ass. She’d probably already turned off her phone, but he send her a text anyway so it’d be the first she’d read when she turned it back on.

I am apologizing and I will again when I see you. It was a real shitty way to react period but especially on a night like tonight. The photos. I wanna tell you all about them. I was going to talk to you about that anyway. I just didn’t expect for the subject to come up the way it did. It completely caught me off guard. I hate that I ruined what should’ve been a perfect night for us. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.

He sent it and got out of the car, fully expecting that he wouldn’t hear from her again until the next day. To his surprise, his phone buzzed on his way upstairs. It was her again, and it was a long text, considering her battery was dying.

Maybe we were both a little wrong tonight. Me for going through your photos without being invited to do so regardless of where they were placed. And you for your reaction. But I get it, okay? If you wanna tell me about it, that’s fine, but if you’d rather not or you’d rather wait, I can understand that as well. We all have things in our lives that are harder to share or discuss. Trust me. I get it. So please don’t beat yourself up about it. K? I understand. I really do. And I’m not upset or mad at you AT ALL.

He responded immediately, hoping she hadn’t shut her phone off just yet.